Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Maternal Mortality: A Growing Health Inequity In America, Michala Geraty

Senior Honors Theses

The United States (U.S.) is known for its quest for knowledge, innovation, and advancements in all disciplines. However, it has the highest maternal mortality ratio (MMR) among developed nations. The US MMR increased from 12.7 to 17.4 per 100,000 live births between 2007 and 2018. Over 60% of these deaths are preventable, indicating room for improvement. African American or non-Hispanic Black women are disproportionately affected, at over twice the rate of their non-Hispanic White and Hispanic counterparts. The proximal (e.g., individual level) determinants have not been able to fully explain these inequities. Using the socio-ecological model and the social determinants …

Vaccine Hesitancy & Study Of Attitudes And Barriers Towards The Influenza Vaccine In Public Health Students At Liberty University, Mikayla Zook

Senior Honors Theses

Every year 2.5 million deaths worldwide are prevented because of vaccinations. Vaccine hesitancy is defined as delayed acceptance or refusal of vaccination and is a global threat to public health. Attitudes and barriers towards vaccines vary and change from group to group. Eighty-five percent of surveyed public health students at Liberty University did not receive the seasonal influenza vaccine. Their attitudes and barriers included: “I did not have time to receive a flu vaccination”, “I believe that as a result of the flu shot, I may actually get the flu”, and “I do not believe I am in danger of …

Infections Not Fought: Antibiotic Resistance In Underserved Communities, Derek Lillestolen

Senior Honors Theses

In 1928, the profound effects of penicillin were discovered and antibiotic treatments became extremely popular. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, like tetracyclines, have been since branded as cure-all prescriptions and used profusely in the Western World and abroad. Due to ignorance of specific biochemical mechanisms and the misuse of antibiotics these drugs inadvertently allowed the rise in prevalence of antibiotic resistant strains of certain bacteria as the century progressed. Now, the specific genetic causes and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance are being understood, but the fight against antimicrobial resistance is far from over. In the United States, thousands of fatalities are caused annually by …

Herpes Zoster Patient Education: A Coloring Book Approach, Sophia Charuhas

Senior Honors Theses

Shingles, the disease caused by the herpes zoster virus, is a widespread and widely misunderstood illness in the United States. It is preventable, but many at-risk patients do not know what measures they may take to prevent it. Clear communication from physician to patient is crucial for patient understanding of diseases. Many patient education materials on herpes zoster currently available are often unused. It is therefore beneficial to public health to disseminate new mediums of medical communication, and one way of accomplishing this is through adult coloring books. The pathophysiology of herpes zoster virus is here explored and the idea …

Pediatric Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus: Examining The Upward Trend, Allison Foering

Senior Honors Theses

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in pediatric onset of type II diabetes. This paper will examine elements contributing to this trend. Type II diabetes will be discussed, including related pathophysiology, manifestations, diagnosis, and complications, with differentiation between adult and pediatric onset. Possible prevention and treatment methods appropriate for pediatric patients will also be discussed, along with possible outcomes in pediatric patients that could result from this disease. Overall, this paper will provide insight on the causes of this growing trend, and ways to improve the risks imposed on pediatric patients.

The Benefits Of Breastfeeding, Annagrace E. Anderson

Senior Honors Theses

Breast milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition. In the past, infant formula was promoted as equal or superior to breast milk. However, research has shown that breastfeeding is the superior form of infant nutrition except in rare circumstances. Breast milk provides for all of a newborn’s caloric needs and has the correct balance of nutrients to promote proper development. In addition, breast milk provides protection against illnesses, supports an infant’s immune system, and promotes life-long health for the newborn. Mothers also experience personal benefits by breastfeeding such as decreased cancer risks, bonding with their babies, and faster postpartum …

Food Deserts: The Issue And Possible Solutions, Lauren Branham

Senior Honors Theses

Areas in which residents lack access to low-priced, nutritious food are called food deserts. Typical characteristics of food deserts include residents with limited income, high concentrations of ethnic minorities, difficultly accessing grocery stores with a produce section, and high exposure to fast food restaurants and convenience stores. The reason limited access to healthy, minimally processed foods is an issue is because foods that are highly processed typically have higher levels of fat, sugar, and salt content which have been linked to obesity, coronary artery disease, and other chronic diseases. Many different types of interventions have been attempted to combat this …

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, Kathryn E. Brackett

Senior Honors Theses

Abstract

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a worldwide movement started by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that is aimed at providing hospitals with a certification that guarantees the best possible patient-centered care for mothers and infants. It focuses on breastfeeding as optimal infant nutrition, and implements strategies to encourage and support mothers to breastfeed their infants exclusively for six months after birth. The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding are a set of 10 simple, easy to understand guidelines developed by WHO and UNICEF for implementing this initiative in the hospital setting and …

Childhood Obesity And Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Genetic Diseases That Contribute To Cardiovascular Disease, Alyssa Caudle

Senior Honors Theses

Childhood obesity occurs as the result of an imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure. Genetic risk factors for obesity have become an area of research due to its permanency. Mutated genes such as Fat Mass and Obesity Associated (FTO), Leptin (LEP), Leptin Receptor (LEPR), Melanocortin 4 Receptor (MC4R), Adiponectin C1Q and Collagen Domain Containing (ADIPOQ), Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 1 (PCSK1), and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARG) all contribute to the development of childhood obesity. In the presence of high cholesterol caused by obesity, the genetic condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia is exacerbated. Familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by a …

A School-Based Intervention Of Adolescent Obesity Prevention In At-Risk Youth, Leah M. Potecha

Senior Honors Theses

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States, affecting individuals of all ages. Adolescents are particularly susceptible to obesity due to their decrease in physical activity, as well as to the greater availability of foods void of nutritional value. Adolescents’ impressionable natures and changing bodies also contribute to their increased weights. To combat the problem of obesity, many schools have implemented obesity prevention programs. Most of these programs are based on physical education and nutrition education. However, some schools have started mentorship programs, or worked with organizations that employ mentorship programs, to prevent obesity. The Lynchburg Healthy Living program …

A Social Controversy: Autism Spectrum Disorder's Correlation To The Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination, Lindsay A. Frye

Senior Honors Theses

A 1998 research study lead by Dr. Andrew Wakefield linked the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination as a probable cause to autism spectrum disorder. This publication has started a significant debate among healthcare professionals and instigated an anti-vaccination movement within the general population. This vaccination controversy was started by parents who readily accepted Wakefield’s findings as truth and frequently would choose to withdrawal the administration of vaccinations from their children’s care plans. There has also been disapproval by healthcare professionals over Wakefield’s study since numerous research teams have been unable to replicate his findings. This disagreement surrounding the MMR vaccination is likely …

Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission (Pmtct) Of Hiv In The Sub-Saharan Africa Region With A Focus On Uganda, Emily K. Franks

Senior Honors Theses

With the rise of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the past thirty years, people of all ages, infants to elderly alike, all over the world, suffer from its adverse effects. Even an unborn baby in-utero can contract this virulent infection by means of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) (Sweeney, 2005). Infants and children diseased in this way comprise 90% of the estimated 800,000 new cases of HIV in children seen each year, but the region hit hardest, however, is Sub-Saharan Africa, with the country of Uganda historically having the highest incident rate for a time (Stringer, E.M., et al. 2008). Therefore, the purpose …